"The Power and Light District, while certainly known for its nightlife and events, is still very active during the day, but there really hasn't been that go-to day spot down there for retail or coffee since it opened," Made in KC co-owner Keith Bradley told Startland News the week his new store soft-opened at 161 E. 14th St.
That store sits on the south edge of downtown, above a stretch of interstate that closes in about six weeks. On Wednesday, December 2, both directions of I-670 shut down between I-35 and U.S. 71, and they stay closed through September 2028. For almost two years, the south edge of downtown will be harder to reach by car and about as easy as ever to reach on foot or by streetcar. The businesses opening there this fall are daytime places like a bookstore, a café and a bakery, and they fit that change well.
The calendar that shapes the next two years
The closure is for phase one of Roy Blunt Luminary Park, the park built over the south loop that is meant to reconnect downtown with the Crossroads. Several other projects run on overlapping schedules nearby, so the dates matter more than any one project:
| Date | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| October 15, 2026 | KC Streetcar resumes full Riverfront-to-UMKC service every 10 minutes after early-October track work | KC Streetcar |
| December 2, 2026 | I-670 closes both directions, I-35 to U.S. 71 | Luminary Park |
| During the I-670 closure | Truman Road closes from Broadway Boulevard to Baltimore Avenue | KCUR |
| January through December 2027 | MoDOT closes I-70 between The Paseo and Van Brunt | MoDOT |
| September 2028 | I-670 scheduled to reopen | Luminary Park |
| Spring 2029 | Intermittent closures on Truman, Wyandotte and Baltimore end | Luminary Park |
Throughout 2027, the downtown loop will have both its south side and a stretch of I-70 to the east out of service. KCUR reported that the two closures will run at the same time.
One block of park, out of four
The park planned in 2022 covered 5.5 acres across four blocks, and officials originally hoped to finish it in time for this summer's World Cup matches. Funding fell short. According to KCUR, the city scaled the project back to one block and hopes that finishing it will "kickstart" money for the rest.
That block runs from Wyandotte to Baltimore near the Convention Center. The Luminary Park construction page lists paths, terraces, picnic and woodland areas, play equipment, art and performance space, room for food trucks and community events, and lighting.
The cost explains why only one block is getting built. Phase one is expected to cost more than $164 million, and KCUR reported that each additional block should cost about $60 million. Most of that gap comes from what sits underground, because the first phase builds more than half of the planned tunnel structure and much of the highway work, so later phases are mostly park and much less tunnel. Most of what the city is paying for in phase one won't be visible once the park is finished.
A second construction fence stands a few blocks north. Barney Allis Plaza, the redevelopment near 12th and Wyandotte, still says "Coming Soon in 2026" on its project site. In an August 2025 report, The Kansas City Star gave a projected completion date of December 3, 2026, along with a 583-space garage, a 3.3-acre park and 2.5 acres of streetscape. That date is a construction projection, not an announced reopening. If it holds, the plaza would finish one day after the highway to its south closes. The dog park, pavilion and winter ice rink in the plaza's plans were described as proposals in that coverage.
14th and Main, open, empty and under construction
Made in KC and Rainy Day Books soft-opened their shared store at 161 E. 14th St. on Thursday, October 15. Startland News describes a full Made in KC Cafe, a Made in KC Neighborhood Shop and a Rainy Day Books store in about 6,000 square feet, with mezzanine café seating above the shop floor. Bradley told Startland that the space is not technically an event space, but the owners plan to host events and want it to be "a great gathering spot for the downtown community." The Made in KC locations page lists hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Until now, Johnson County readers knew Rainy Day Books from its original Fairway location.
Paris Baguette opened on Main Street on October 7. Axios Kansas City reported breads, sandwiches and pastries, plus outdoor seating out front.
The same Axios piece covers the rest of the corner. The historic theater building at 14th and Main, formerly B&B Mainstreet Theatre, is empty, and Power & Light is looking for a new tenant. Across the street, work is underway on The Residence, an "upscale lounge." The district's page lists The Residence at 1380 Main St. and still marks it "Coming soon." It was announced for fall 2026, with no exact date given.
Those few addresses have a café that opens at 7 a.m., a lounge that hasn't opened yet and a theater with no tenant. The daytime business is the one that has opened.
Crossing the loop without the interstate
Neither official source gives one detour that works for every driver. The Luminary Park notice says traffic will mostly be sent to I-70 and links to closure maps. FOX4's October 13 summary breaks the routes down this way:
- Southbound I-35 and northbound U.S. 71 traffic shifts to westbound I-70 on the north loop.
- Freight traveling from Kansas into Missouri uses eastbound I-70 on the north loop.
- Drivers on I-35 heading into downtown use Broadway Boulevard.
The city-street closure comes on top of that. Truman Road closes in both directions between Broadway Boulevard and Baltimore Avenue, and partial closures on Truman, Wyandotte and Baltimore continue through spring 2029.
The streetcar's downtown route runs on Main Street, a city street rather than the closed interstate. As of October 15 it is back to full service from the Riverfront to UMKC every 10 minutes, after track work ended ahead of schedule. The streetcar line is also a list of this winter's seasonal stops.
A winter calendar along Main Street
Starting from the river and heading south, here is what's on the calendar while the highway work begins:
- City Market Farmers Market: Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in November and December, according to City Market's posted schedule.
- Made in KC and Rainy Day Books at 161 E. 14th St.: open daily from 7 a.m., just off Main Street.
- Tinsel Tavern at 1333 Grand Blvd.: a 21-and-over holiday pop-up inside Guy Fieri's Dive and Taco Joint. The Power & Light District lists it as open November 26 through December 30.
- Crown Center Ice Terrace: the 2026-27 season opens November 6 in Crown Center Square, with $10 admission and $6 skate rental. The Ice Terrace page also lists special hours for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
The East Crossroads, on the far side of the loop, is set to add a stop of its own. Kansas City Magazine reported on October 21 that The Shuckers Union, an oyster and cocktail bar at 1739 Oak St., is slated to open before the end of the year. That opening date is still a target.
The park over the loop is meant to reconnect downtown with the Crossroads, and its first block between Wyandotte and Baltimore is planned to include space for food trucks and community events. KCUR reported that officials have secured partial funding from MoDOT for the blocks that would follow it.
If you own downtown and want to know how two years of construction on the south loop fits into your own timeline, LIVIN KC can take you through the blocks around your building and what has sold nearby. Start with a home valuation, and we'll take it from there.
